Is beard associated to knowledge, intellect? The prophets had beard, Moses, Abraham, Rabindranath, Aurobindo, Socrates. Do we still associate beard with intellect? Why else do Pronoy Roy, Daniel Dennet keep a beard? It's uncomfortable, it's probably unhigenic. To me, It's disgusting (I am not passing any judgement here. Just a very personal opinion). Then why do they keep it?